Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū
Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū (飛天御剣流 Flying Heaven Honorable Sword Style) is an ancient kenjutsu style from the Sengoku Jidai developed to allow a single samurai to defeat numerous foes single-handedly. Practitioners of this style use a combination of near-superhuman speed and agility (known as Shinsoku, or godspeed), battōjutsu and an acquired, observation-based pseudo-clairvoyance in order to avoid the attacks of their opponents by the least possible margin and with the least possible effort in order to place themselves in the perfect position to strike in the very instant the opponent's strike misses and stresses two-step attacks in order to ensure that any and all who oppose it are thoroughly slain. Due to its tremendous power and speed, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū has recently been nicknamed "The Black Ship of the Land" in that it would secure absolute victory for whichever side wielded it in a conflict. Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū is known by very few people in history due to the fact that it has only passed on from master to apprentice for fourteen generations, with each apprentice taking the life and special mantle of his master as well as the name Hiko Seijūrō. Techniques *'Ryūtsuisen' (龍槌閃, Dragon Hammer Strike) User jumps high above the enemy and slices their head while falling down. **'Ryūtsuisen - Zan' (龍槌閃・惨, Dragon Hammer - Tragedy) An alternate form, Ryutsuisen-Zan involves stabbing replacing the slice. This technique is Kenshin's signature move. *'Ryūkansen' (龍巻閃, Dragon Spiral Strike) A counterattack. User spin-slashes with the sword to build up centrifugal force, aiming for the neck. The stronger version is **'Ryūkansen - Kogarashi' (龍巻閃・凩, Dragon Spiral: Wintry Wind). An alternate version is **'Ryūkansen - Tsumuji' (龍巻閃・旋, Dragon Spiral Strike: Whirl), where the user dodges the opponents attack first by spinning right, then slashes the waist. **'Ryūkansen - Arashi' (龍巻閃・嵐, Dragon Spiral Strike - Storm) A variation of the normal Ryūkansen, this technique places the swordsman is in a full somersault while attacking. *'Ryūshōsen' (龍翔閃, Soaring Dragon Strike) A rising sword attack. The user holds the back of the blade with his hand, and pushes the blade up into the foe's neck. *'Ryūtsuishōsen' (龍槌翔閃, Dragon Hammer-Flight Strike), a combination of Ryūtsuisen and Ryūshōsen. *'Ryūsōsen' (龍巣閃, Dragon's Nest Strike) A massive flurry of strikes delivered to the opponent. The sheer speed of the slashes makes this technique difficult to counter. There is an alternate version called **'Ryūsōsen-Garami' (龍巣閃・咬, Dragon's Nest Strike - Strangle), which targets the foe's head. *'Doryūsen' (土龍閃, Earth Dragon Strike) User slams their sword into the ground, sending dirt and debris into the opponent's face. Battojutsu (Sword-Drawing Art) 'The signature form of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu. The user removes his sheath from his belt and sheathes his sword. At an opportune moment, the user dashes forward and draws his sword into an attack, slashing with far greater speed than would be normally possible. Several techniques in Hiten Mitsurugi require Battojutsu to use. *'Kuzuryūsen (九頭龍閃, Nine-headed Dragon Strike) A dashing attack that uses Shinsoku (godspeed) to simultaneously strike all nine vital spots on the foe's body. It is undodgeable and nearly unblockable, and is taught as a prerequisite for the succession technique. It is also Hiko Seijuro XIII's signature move. The strength of the move's "nine heads" will differ greatly depending on the strength of the user. Kenshin's Kuzuryusen is powerful, but is countered at one point by Yukishiro Enishi, while Hiko's Kuzuryusen allows him to instantly down the immense Fuji with no prior attacks. Battōjutsu techniques *'Soryusen' (双龍閃, Twin Dragon Spark) After assuming Battojutsu stance, the user slashes at his foe, then strikes the same spot with the sheath to maximize damage. **'Soryusen - Ikazuchi' (双龍閃・雷, Twin Dragon - Lightning) The reverse of Soryusen. After assuming Battojutsu stance, the user strikes the foe with his sheath, then unsheathes his sword into an attack on the same spot. *'Hiryusen' (飛龍閃, Flying Dragon Strike) After assuming Battojutsu stance, the user spins and uses centrifugal force to launch the sword out of the sheath like an arrow, hitting the opponent dead-on from a distance. *'Ryumeisen' (龍鳴閃, Dragon Howl Strike) An unorthodox technique in which the user sheathes the sword at supersonic speed, creating a miniature sonic boom. Since it has only been seen once, and the technique seems impractical in most scenarios, it is possible that Kenshin created the technique in a pinch. *'Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki' (天翔龍閃, Heaven-Bridging Dragon Spark/Dragon Flight of Heaven) The final technique of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, taught as the succession technique. It is a Battojutsu technique, and is differentiated from normal Battojutsu by an additional step with the left foot, endangering the user with the loss of a foot but providing an additional boost of speed, allowing the user to go beyond Shinsoku. When the user unsheathes his sword, he swings with immense power. The technique displays the same level of power with a sakabato, caving in the foe's body and sending him or her flying. Like the Soryusen technique, Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki is a two-strike move, but the second strike is rarely used. If by some miracle the first strike is blocked, its sheer force will create a small vacuum at that spot, allowing for a second, even stronger slash that will defeat the foe instantly. It should be noted Shishio Makoto survived the move full force and stood, though that could be attributed to his ability to negate any technique he had seen before. Practitioners *Hiko Seijūrō I *Hiko Seijūrō II *Hiko Seijūrō III *Hiko Seijūrō IV *Hiko Seijūrō V *Hiko Seijūrō VI *Hiko Seijūrō VII *Hiko Seijūrō VIII *Hiko Seijūrō IX *Hiko Seijūrō X *Hiko Seijūrō XI *Hiko Seijūrō XII *Hiko Seijūrō XIII *Himura Kenshin *Amakusa Shōgo (anime only) Trivia * Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū is loosely based on the real-life Shiranui-ryū, the secrets of which died with its sole known practitioner, Kawakami Gensai. * Although Hiko Seijūrō refers to Shishio Makoto as a master of "Hiten" in the Viz manga, there is nothing to suggest that Shishio has ever studied Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū. Category:Kenjutsu styles